Poison

May 1, 2019
DCI Monika Paniatowski is on her way to testify in a court case when she hears an urgent bulletin that a break-in is in progress in Barrow Village. Since she hates testifying, and since she's close to where the break-in is occurring, it's an easy choice. When she reaches the site, the house being burgled looks quiet and empty, but an ex-cop who lives across the street saw a well-dressed man casing the place before the suspected burglar disappeared around the back of the house. But when Monika investigates, she receives a shock?one that will have far-reaching consequences for her and her crack team of detectives. The burglary is never solved, but four years later?after a personal tragedy has taken Monika out of the picture?it's up to her team, led by intrepid Acting DCI Colin Beresford, to untangle what turns out to be a thoroughly bizarre case. Solid writing and a plot full of unexpected twists make this a good read, but it's Paniatowski's diverse, quirky, and talented team that elevates this one to beyond the rank and file of British procedurals.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

September 15, 2021
When Monika Paniatowski was a lowly DS, she cracked a theft ring headed by Jordan Gough, which humiliated and enraged him--and which he's never forgotten or forgiven. Years later, Gough is one of the city's most powerful men. Now a DCI, Monika is surprised when her boss asks her to meet Gough, who claims someone's trying to kill him. But when Monika does get to know Gough, it's clear he thinks it's finally payback time and that he'll stop at nothing to destroy her career. But Monika has a murder case to investigate, so she gives Gough's thinly veiled threats short shrift. She soon finds links between the case and what she realizes are Gough's continuing illegal activities--activities that have given him the wealth and power to use in meting out his twisted brand of revenge. It's always a pleasure when the prolific Spencer returns to her Paniatowski series, and this installment--with a cracking plot, barbed dialogue, and plenty of action--is a standout.

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September 1, 2021
DCI Monika Paniatowski catches a case from hell. The return of Chief Constable George Baxter from compassionate leave is a mixed blessing for Monika. On the one hand, she's more than happy to see her former lover recovering from the mental distress caused by the death of his wife. On the other, his first official act is to hand her what's probably the most toxic case of her career. Multimillionaire Jordan Gough, whose holdings include the Whitebridge Evening Telegraph, demands that Baxter assign Monika to find out who's poisoning him. Monika can't find any evidence that Gough's being poisoned. But when she turns her attention to the death of Tom Crawley, a young surveyor found in his apartment with his brains bashed out, she concludes that he has very definitely been murdered, leading Gough to complain to Baxter that the chief inspector isn't taking him seriously. Monika's path becomes rockier when Gough dies after eating steak with poisoned pepper sauce. The Telegraph publishes a piece criticizing the police in general and Monika in particular for ignoring a threat that cost a prominent citizen his life. Baxter is frantic for an arrest, and Gough's brother, Arthur, is a promising suspect, but Monika still has doubts. It takes all her ingenuity and the unstinting support of her three sergeants--Jack Crane, Colin Beresford, and Kate Meadows--to foil a diabolically clever murderer. Read this one quickly, before someone spoils the surprise.

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